I loved watching those old B+W Scrooge Movies. They never show them on TV anymore. Reginald Owen, Alistair Sim. When Scrooge came out with Albert Finney, the bar was raised to the max. And only the spoof Scrooged took it to another level. Let me add IMO!
Scooged is on TV right now. I can remember seeing in the theatre. As different as it is certainly is not a classic Christmas film.
Alistair Sims is easily the best. 1951, creepy black and white version. Just watched it this evening on DVD. His conversion of at the end is a sheer delight to behold every year. All others pale in comparison.
Alastair Sim for sure in the 1951 film A Christmas Carol. Konjurer is correct, a sheer delight to watch his transformation. Funny blooper in the film, when he awakes Christmas morning you can see a film crew member in the mirror on the wall. Does not take away from the joy of the moment but look for it. Top 5 all time film for me.
Quoted from rvdv:This was the best version from 1970
And a musical to boot!
I don't know why they even bothered to keep on making them after that.
George C. Scott
I watch his version every Christmas Eve.
But I appreciate Alastair Sim's, and I would like to have seen Patrick Stewart's stage version.
Quoted from BKT2AF:George C. Scott
I watch his version every Christmas Eve.
Yep - my favorite too.
close call with Sim, but gotta go with patrick stewart. Love it when he has trouble laughing for the first time in years. Yeah, i tear up when he shows up at his nephews and says he doesnt want to be alone anymore.
Everyone has different tastes but I thought the George C Scott version was awful. He was just boring.
How about Christopher Plummer, the latest actor to play Scrooge?
Just watched that new film at the theater three weeks ago. It was excellent.
Has anyone seen The Man Who Invented Christmas yet? It was pretty good story and fairly accurate historically. Christopher Plummer made a great Scrooge.
Bill Murray wasn’t Scrooge though, he was Frank Cross.
Still, my favorite Christmas movie alongside It's a Wonderful Life and Diehard.
Quoted from konjurer:Everyone has different tastes but I thought the George C Scott version was awful. He was just boring.
To each his own - lots of versions to choose from.
FWIW, some audience "liked it" scores (and # of user ratings) from Rotten Tomatoes:
1938 - Reginald Owen: .................73% (56,532)
1951 - Alastair Sim: .....................89% (54,434)
1970 - Albert Finney: ...................83% (9,134)
1979 - Henry Winkler: ..................56% (1,766)
1984 - George C. Scott: ...............74% (71,929)
1988 - Bill Murray: ......................70% (77,234)
1992 - Michael Caine (& Muppets): 85% (122,019)
1999 - Patrick Stewart: ................72% (63,079)
2009 - Jim Carrey: ......................58% (776,073)
I watch Patrick Stewart's version every year. George C. Scott's version is also pretty decent imho. Downloading the 1951 version now as I have to admit I've never seen it...
LOL was really hoping no one would mention Fonzie. If you do, you definitely need to mention the DISCO PIMP OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE.
I did a write up on it:
1951 - Alastair Sim
1970 - Albert Finney
My two favorites. The music in the 1970 version is excellent. "Thank you very much" is classic.
Looks like 1951 Alistair Sim version for the win! Ignore that it's b&w, do see it if you never have.
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